TVA, Other Agencies to Conduct Nuclear Emergency Exercise

October 28, 2013

SPRING CITY, Tenn. – The Tennessee Valley Authority and other federal, state and local agencies will conduct a graded emergency preparedness exercise for Watts Bar Nuclear Plant on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 30-31.

About 1,000 TVA and state of Tennessee employees and local emergency responders in a 50-mile radius of the plant are expected to participate.

Residents in McMinn, Meigs and Rhea counties may see radiological monitoring teams or other responders in action as part of the exercise. They also may hear on-site and off-site sirens.

Graded exercises are regularly required by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for all nuclear plant operators and by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security for state and local agencies. A drill at Watts Bar on Sept. 4-5 was preparation for this exercise.

NRC and Homeland Security representatives will evaluate responders on the appropriateness of their actions to ensure the health and safety of the public. FEMA will conduct a public meeting to discuss the exercise at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Nov. 1, in the Cumberland Room of the Embassy Suites, 9621 Parkside Drive, Knoxville, Tenn.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.